Cheese & Wine

Eat Green this St. Patrick’s Day I love the month of March because it is a sign of fresh things to come. The weather is beginning to warm up and green is starting to poke out from under the snowy landscape. And of course that’s not the only green we’re seeing; St. Patrick’s Day will bring a whole new slew of green things. And there’s no better way to incorporate the festive colour into your St. Patty’s day than with a delicious asparagus and Canadian Brie-based appetizer. Impress your guests with these Asparagus and Brie Wonton Tartlets – trust me, […]

A Post-Ski Meal Ski season is well underway, and there’s nothing more exhilarating than soaring down the slopes on a nice, brisk day. It’s so great to be outside, even if it is quite chilly. But the part I enjoy even more about ski season, is the après-ski unwinding. It’s a great time to sit down and eat a hearty meal with a delicious glass of wine. Lounging in a chalet with warm and comfy clothes and some great food and drinks after a full day on the hills? Sounds like absolute bliss to me. This recipe for Raclette de […]

New Year, New Resolutions I always get a pang of excitement when January begins. I know resolutions can be a bit cliché, but to me a new year is the perfect clean slate for adapting some better habits. At first I couldn’t decide what I wanted my resolutions to be this year, but after some thought, I resolved to really enjoy every day to its fullest and take more pleasure in the simple things. I also wanted to work more vegetables into my day, so I started collecting some delicious recipes to help me do just those things. I was […]

Tis’ the season to complete last year’s resolutions. I can’t believe it’s already the beginning of January! I know it sounds cliché, but this year definitely flew by. And now that it’s almost over I have a list of resolutions that I need to complete. My first to-do: learn how to make the perfect meatballs. Here’s a recipe I found for Cheddar Stuffed Meatballs with Rosemary that is absolutely mouth-watering. Not only is it a delicious recipe, the meatballs are made with wholesome ingredients like real Canadian Cheddar that will help you beat the winter blues. My next to-do, finding […]

Take Holiday Entertaining to a Delicious new Level There’s something about the holiday season that I just can’t get enough of. Sure last minute holiday shopping and menu preparing can be stressful, but sitting down with loved ones for a savoury holiday feast makes it more than worth it. I have a big family, so when it comes to holiday meals it can be tough deciding what to make. Aside from my tried and true holiday recipe favourites, I decided to get a little adventurous this year and experiment with a new dessert. And I’m so glad I did. This […]

Warm up to the Weather with some Afternoon Delight One thing most people don’t know about me is that I absolutely love poutine. It’s as Canadian as you can get, and it is simply delicious. Homemade fries? Yes. Fresh gravy? Yes. Melted, mouth-watering Canadian Cheddar cheese curds? Yes, yes, yes! While it’s not something I make every day, I like to make sure it’s as good as possible when I do make it. That’s why I love this simple recipe for Traditional Poutine. With Canadian Cheddar cheese curds and homemade gravy, it leaves me feeling full and happy until the […]

Soup and Sweater Season is Here If you’re anything like me, these shorter days can leave you feeling drained and sluggish. With such uninspiring weather, it’s easy to get stuck in a recipe rut. However, sometimes all it takes to inspire me to crack out the pots and pans again is the perfect recipe. And I’ve found just the one. Not only does this Brie Soup look mouth-watering, it’ll be just the thing to warm you up during this long, cold month (along with your favourite sweater of course). With yummy seasoning, white mushrooms, and all the tasty Canadian Brie […]

Welcome Back Comfort Food The days are slowly getting shorter and there is a subtle crispness in the air, which can only mean one thing: fall is here. While some may scorn the cooler temperatures, I welcome them with wide, sweater-clad arms. One of the main reasons I love the cooler temps? Now I have an excuse to eat warm comfort food whenever I want! Comfort food like this amazing Monday Night Mac and Cheese dish. With delicious ooey gooey Canadian Cheddar, it will melt away the Monday blues and prepare you for a wonderful week ahead. Spoiler alert: it […]

Take a Trick or Treat Break Things are getting pretty spooky around here and in just a few days the kiddies will be lining up for yummy treats! I love seeing them all dressed up in their Halloween garb and can’t wait to give them the assortment of candy I bought. I especially can’t wait to whip up and enjoy a little trick or treat of my own. This great recipe for Pumpkin, Chocolate and Cheddar Muffins is the perfect mix of salty and sweet, with a surprising combination of chocolate and Canadian cheese – my two favourite things! The […]

Be thankful for good food and wine. This is my favourite time of the year. Not only is the air crisper and the weather perfect, it is a time when I’m constantly reminded about all the wonderful things in my life that I’m thankful for. Like great family and friends (which I’m constantly surrounded by). In fact, the only thing that makes this time any better is being surrounded by amazing food and wine as well. I like to keep cooking during the holidays as easy and stress-free as possible so I can focus on what’s really important: quality family […]

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BIOGRAPHY

Natalie MacLean

Canada's Most Quoted Wine Writer

Natalie MacLean is editor of Canada's largest wine review web site, publishing hundreds of wine reviews every week for more than 160,000 members. She was named the World's Best Drinks Writer the World Food Media Awards in Australia.

Natalie has published two books with Random House, the second was named one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year. Get access to all of her reviews today by becoming a member of her site.